Chiltern Oxford Link completed

[Chris B]

The separate infrastructure for the last bit into Oxford so Chiltern services won't get delayed by disruption on the Oxford - Banbury line.

That piece is delayed & will form part of the Oxford re-signalling project & electrification.
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]It will be interesting to see how having two stations with direct connections to Marylebone will affect Bicester commuters too. I presume a lot of them will use Water Eton Parkway if they live out that way anyway (I doubt everybody who uses Bicester North to commute is from Bicester) but how the locals will react to having a split service is anybodies guess. I presume most of the trains to/from Town station will be express trains while North will retain the semi fasts and the trains to Banbury/Stratford/Birmingham, but what do you do if you are at Marylebone with your car parked at North but the next train is to Town? There is so much parking at Bicester North these days that a lot of people will still use it, but do you think that rail users will be welcome in the Village car park for Bicester Town?

Firstly, the stations will be grouped in the fares manual so the fare will be same from either station to make inter-station travel possible & legal. Currently one fare is higher than the other, and rises at one to bring it up to the other are taking place.

The 'village' car park will use part of the Bicester Village car park Mon-Fri, so capacity at either won't be a problem. Pax will have to choose which suits them best & walk twixt the two if they choose to return to the wrong one! It is as has been said, a 15minute walk....

However, I can't see Bicester having sufficient travelling public to fully use a 4 train/hour service, certainly off-peak. I suspect that Bicester North will reduce to 1 tph off-peak - probably the semi-fast Birmingham.

The Bicester North stoppers are the ones being diverted to Oxford, making one of the 2 tph services. I think the other is the Princes Risborough terminator which will be extended to Oxford. I know Chiltern have said that the trains required are already using the paths in MYB and won't be a need for further paths. Of course, both trains stopping patterns will change.

Bear in mind there is a max 66min trip allowed for these services, so the stops will have to be minimal. I think HWY will get 2tph, while PRR and HDM get one each. Along with stops south of Bicester, that'll be all the stops.

 

[The Planner]

That piece is delayed & will form part of the Oxford re-signalling project & electrification.

Still not 100% it will happen at all, if it can be subsequently proven Oxford can work without it then it won't get built!

 

[jimm]

It might help to clarify the tearm 'peak' here. Given that the service runs roughlt every 90 minutes, you are really talking about one train a day in each direction. It shouldn't really be beyond the bounds of possibility to provide an adequate bus replacement - the biggest problem being the frequent disruption on the A34 caused by regular accidents.

When all lines out of Marylebone shut down a few weeks ago after someone was hit by a train, I and a load of other people travelled via Oxford. We all got seats on the Bicester train.

And which one train each way would that be? Come down to Oxford at about 6.45pm and watch the train from Bicester arrive. Many more than 15 people get off that service, which I don't imagine was one of those you have in mind. Five years ago it might have been 10 or a dozen on a good day, sometimes as few as five or six.

In the past four years, since the enhanced service started, traffic at Bicester Town is up from 60,000 to 210,000 and at Islip from 17,000 to 29,000. They aren't all using just a couple of the services...

 

[Chris B]

They *are* providing

an adequate bus replacement

- almost twice as many bus services as trains with stanby buses at either end. THe RUG is quite happy with this provision.

The morning train is pretty much full - the evening peak tends to split itself across 2 trains, owing to those in education finishing earlier.

Note taken, and apologies.

But a request from me - if you don't know something *for sure*, don't quote it as fact?! please.....
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Still not 100% it will happen at all, if it can be subsequently proven Oxford can work without it then it won't get built!

Don't tell that to Chiltern....
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And which one train each way would that be? Come down to Oxford at about 6.45pm and watch the train from Bicester arrive. Many more than 15 people get off that service, which I don't imagine was one of those you have in mind. Five years ago it might have been 10 or a dozen on a good day, sometimes as few as five or six.

In the past four years, since the enhanced service started, traffic at Bicester Town is up from 60,000 to 210,000 and at Islip from 17,000 to 29,000. They aren't all using just a couple of the services...

The peak is towards OXF in the morning, and away in the evening. THe pax outside these hours are generally journeying in the reverse-peak direction - to & from Bicester Village.

 

[The Planner]

Chiltern are well aware of it, saves them a few quid if it doesn't happen.

 

[jimm]

The peak is towards OXF in the morning, and away in the evening. THe pax outside these hours are generally journeying in the reverse-peak direction - to & from Bicester Village.

Thanks for stating the obvious. My point was that trains operating outside the peaks and against the flow to Oxford in the morning and back in the late afternoon on weekdays are carrying good loadings as well, contrary to the suggestions above that Chiltern are lucky to get 15 people on most trains, or that the only times there are more than that are the peaks.

 

[Chris B]

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[MK Tom]

Apologies for that then, just been my observation. Must be sample bias!

How do the fares compare against the X5/S5? I'm fairly sure the train's cheaper with a railcard.

 

[Andyjs247]

As I said I expect a lot of people will switch to the (always very busy) X5 and S5 during the works. By far the majority of Oxford-Bicester passengers use these services as opposed to the train at present, due largely to the higher frequency and better located stopping points.

How do the fares compare against the X5/S5? I'm fairly sure the train's cheaper with a railcard.

S5/X5 bus fares are £3.90 single/£4.70 return vs £4.00 single (SDS)/£4.90 return (SDR) or off-peak it is £2.40 (CDS)/£2.50 (CDR) for the train.

So off-peak the train is cheaper, with or without a railcard. The train is also cheaper than driving to any of the Oxford Park & Ride sites, paying for parking and paying the bus fare. Consequently the bus is not necessarily an automatic choice to go to Oxford, especially for example if you don't live in the centre of Bicester.

Between Bicester and Oxford the bus is more frequent - the X5 is 2 per hour plus there is the S5 which is essentially 4 per hour. It takes 30-38 minutes - can be less on the X5, can be more e.g. if there are problems on the A34. However beyond Bicester town centre 3 of the S5 buses continue on different routes, each of which is hourly. So for example my local bus to Oxford (S5) is hourly, takes 56 minutes to get to there, and costs more. It also stops running in the early evening. There are some additional S5 buses (and route variations) in peak times.

The train is typically every 60-90 minutes but takes only 26 minutes - despite the slow line speed, is cheaper (and is much more pleasant). Plus there is free parking at Bicester Town. The only negative is that Oxford station is further from the centre than the bus stops.

Personally speaking, if I need to go to Oxford I will use the train or otherwise drive to either Pear Tree or Water Eaton P&R. I very rarely use the S5/X5 from Bicester.

 

[67018]

And which one train each way would that be? Come down to Oxford at about 6.45pm and watch the train from Bicester arrive. Many more than 15 people get off that service, which I don't imagine was one of those you have in mind.

As Chris B notes, the peak is actually one train in the morning and two in the evening. I don't doubt that loadings are steady and have improved in recent years - the '15 people' quote wasn't mine.

S5/X5 bus fares are £3.90 single/£4.70 return vs £4.00 single (SDS)/£4.90 return (SDR) or off-peak it is £2.40 (CDS)/£2.50 (CDR) for the train.

The X5 is actually more expensive - £4.20 single/£5.10 return. As you say preferences are very much driven by where you live - from the north of Bicester it's a 20 minute walk to Town station, so to Oxford town centre it's over half an hour of walking in total; the S5 is on the doorstep and that branch of it runs every half an hour.

Will be very interesting to see how a more frequent and faster rail service shifts the preferences, and whether local bus services will be altered to serve Town station a bit better. I currently only use the train when changing onto other trains at Oxford, but will probably use the new service all the time especially if there is a local bus home to cover the last mile.

 

[jimm]

As Chris B notes, the peak is actually one train in the morning and two in the evening. I don't doubt that loadings are steady and have improved in recent years - the '15 people' quote wasn't mine.

No it wasn't, but the post by MK Tom was, I take it, meant as an across-the-board description of loadings, not just in the peaks, which was all you and ChrisB focused on. And the peak-time trains loaded well even pre-2009.

You may have got a seat recently when diverted due to problems on the Chiltern line but the fact is that in the past four years loadings generally have grown fast (I wouldn't call a 350 per cent jump in custom at Bicester Town 'steady'), but from a very low base.

Like I said, the 18.18 from Bicester carries several dozen people now - lots are Bicester Village shoppers off back to London - whereas a few years ago you would have seen half-a-dozen passengers get off it at Oxford and wondered how much longer the whole service had to live before someone pulled the plug.

 

[twoag]

Lots of work in Bicester currently and looks like a bridge will be put in at London Road.

http://www.bicesteradvertiser.net/news/10960288.County_is_given___11m_to_sort_out_roads/?ref=var_0

 

[The Planner]

Interesting, hopefully there will be some decent integration between NR and whoever is delivering the bridge. Last thing E-W will need is the bridge or other intervention delaying it.

 

[twoag]

Interestingly more news on Bicester Town Station http://www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk/news/local/new-designs-for-bicester-town-station-unveiled-1-5832114

Images seem pixelated tho.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

It's a shame the images are so low res. I presume they have been released by Chiltern PR because I've seen the exact same ones as are on the newspaper's website come from a completely different source.

 

[asylumxl]

*cough*

 

[anthony263]

Nice the station actually looks pretty good

 

[asylumxl]

Reminds me of a slightly deformed Corby station.

 

[route:oxford]

Looks like enough space has been left for a through-road in the middle.

 

[The Planner]

Picture is tricking you, there will be no room to do that.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

The station building looks nice, but there appears to be a distinct lack of shelter and seating on the platforms.

I'm guessing the overhead wires for East-West rail will come later?

 

[jimm]

The station building looks nice, but there appears to be a distinct lack of shelter and seating on the platforms.

I'm guessing the overhead wires for East-West rail will come later?

Have you ever used Warwick Parkway? Not exactly noted for its provision of seats, or shelter in bad weather. Nor is Haddenham & Thame. Par for the course at Chiltern's newer stations, despite its saintly reputation.

Electrification - and indeed any East-West services - will still be a way off when the station opens in the middle of next year. Eat-West won't start running until December 2017.

 

[RPM]

I see the plan to construct the stations in faux GWR style has apparently gone out of the window, thank goodness.

Agree with previous posts regarding the lack of platform canopies. They are so often conspicuous by their absence on modern stations and this appears to be no exception.

 

[twoag]

Not a particular fan of the blue tiles but at least its a much better provision than what is there today. I thought I read somewhere that this was little bit west of site currently used?

Also if it is going to be electrified 4 years after this I wonder if they are going to do any preparatory work for the electrification whilst it is closed, I would have thought it would be easier than doing it on running railway?

 

[fgwrich]

I see the plan to construct the stations in faux GWR style has apparently gone out of the window, thank goodness.

Agree with previous posts regarding the lack of platform canopies. They are so often conspicuous by their absence on modern stations and this appears to be no exception.

Not sure whether im pleased about that or disappointed - pleased that the Faux GWR style seems to have been dropped on what was really an LNWR line but I do like some heritage and historical styles reappearing. But in the case of Bicester Town it's probably for the best. Although as you say, the lack of shelter is a little disappointing, as is the covered area tacked onto the building.

 

[davetheguard]

Not sure whether im pleased about that or disappointed - pleased that the Faux GWR style seems to have been dropped on what was really an LNWR line but I do like some heritage and historical styles reappearing. But in the case of Bicester Town it's probably for the best. Although as you say, the lack of shelter is a little disappointing, as is the covered area tacked onto the building.

When the line from Oxford was re-opened in Network SouthEast days, the station building at Bicester Town (or Bicester London Road as it had been before closure) still looked reasonably complete - although boarded up.

At some stage however, the roof tiles were removed and since then the building has rapidly deteriorated, with the stonework being soft and rotten. A pity really as it was quite attractive with its steeply-pitched roof, and double gables. Last time I was there, there wasn't much left!

Still, I'd rather have a modern building and a hugely improved train service, than a complete old building with a poor train service.......

 

[MK Tom]

That blue brickwork makes it look like a swimming pool.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

That blue brickwork makes it look like a swimming pool.

When it rains, it probably will feel like one on the platforms too, with the no shelters thing.

 

[RobLawrence]

For those who may be interested in developments at the Bicester Chord construction site, here a few long distance shots from my smartphone. What I didn't get a shot of is the East West line at the Tubbs Lane pedestrian crossing. There, the vegetation has been considerably cut back.

I have 2 questions. (1) is the chord itself due to be dual track? If so, it will be very tight at the site of the present pedestrian crossing (and future bridge). There's not many metres between the residential properties in Langford and the commercial properties the other side of the tracks. And (2) won't the gradient of the chord be relatively steep? Looking at the photos, I'd suggest the East West line is at least 5 or 6 metres lower than the height of the Chiltern Mainline. The chord can't be much more than 100 metres in length between its departure from the mainline and where it will join the East West line, can it?

(The DVT of today's 1H58 emerges into shot. It is traveling up to London (left to right in this shot) - on the tracks furthest from where this shot was taken. It is just crossing the single track East West line. The security fencing would appear to indicate roughly where the track will be constructed).

(1H58 has just left Bicester North - a minute late. The trains on the chord will presumably have to climb/descend at a relative steep gradient?)

(The 1H58 service heads up to London (traveling left to right across this shot). Presumably just to left of the loco is where the chord will join the existing mainline. There appear to be some steel piles / evidence of some earthworks a few metres to the left of where the train is)

(Looking "down" towards Bicester North from the Bicester ring road - East of the town. The chord will join from the left of the picture).

 

[HowardGWR]

@RL
Two things struck me.
1. Is the bridge high enough for E/W (separate issue)?
2. The angle of E/W to Chiltern is very obtuse on Google Earth so I would not think the curve would be a problem, but it's a fair old height isn't it?

By the way, thanks for the photos, great work!